The RHTLF MEDALLION

By Azhiinikwe Newatchgiizhig, Kaella-Marie Earle

In my early days of Indigenous advocacy, I led the way with a fire in my heart. Fire that presented as rage. Rage that my family members went to residential and day schools. Rage that my communities were living in such poor socio-economic conditions compared to the rest of Canada. I don’t think rage is the right way to approach new relationships like the ones required by age-old treaties. But in this story, that anger taught me something important.

When I first learned about the Robinson-Huron Treaty of 1850, I remember wondering why it wasn’t part of the university-wide curriculum at my post-secondary school. When I asked, I didn’t get an answer. I felt a lot of frustration, because all I wanted was an answer, and a commitment to do better. The anger inside of me about the injustices my family and community have had to face as a result of not honouring Treaty commitments always propelled me to do something about situations that I felt were not right. Do something now, even if the existing system wouldn’t support it and wouldn’t support me in doing something about it. So I did. I gathered the resources I needed to hold a small campus gathering to teach the community about the Robinson-Huron Treaty of 1850. In a few days, I raised a few thousand dollars to make it happen, supported by a few helping hands in the university community. I invited speakers to an RHT 1850 gathering to discuss the importance of RHT 1850 and foster discussion among university students about what that meant. We also had a sacred fire and shared a feast.

As I got older, I realized that when the university wouldn’t support me in doing this, it was one of the most significant teachings that I would receive. It was that week that I learned that I don’t need permission to be Indigenous. Being Indigenous is in my DNA, and found inside the DNA of all Indigenous peoples is the ability to naturally recognize Indigenous law. Indigenous law is in the water. Indigenous law is in the land. Indigenous law speaks to us through all of our animal and plant relations.

Despite all young Indigenous people, including me, being their grandparents greatest dream come true that was never supposed to happen—Indigenous law came out of us that day. Indigenous law came out of us because Indigenous law cannot be taken from Indigenous people. Our culture and languages will always be there, sleeping, waiting for us to reclaim them. Whispering to our people in the winter wind, but never gone. That day, a sacred fire was lit in my heart and the hearts of other Anishinaabeg who knew that the litigation of the Robinson Huron Treaty of 1850 was not just litigation, but a journey of Anishinaabeg people reclaiming their inherent right to practise Indigenous law. This inherent right is something that we must recognize as a critical step in Canada’s journey toward truth and reconciliation, and toward the building of a new nation-to-nation relationship. My mother taught me that the name Canada is really kinaa daa in Anishinaabemowin, meaning that “we all live together.”

Beaded medallion

Stephanie Pheasant/Opwaagan Onashkina’aad Kwe (She/Her) is an Ojibway/Potawatomi member of Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory, from Sudbury, Ontario. Although a self-taught multimedia artist, Stephanie’s focus is bead and birch bark work.

“I came to design the Robinson Huron Treaty medallions, as requested gifts from Kaella Earle. Provided with the grey RHT logo, I settled upon a white background, with the main focus being the foreground. I chose the four colors to symbolize the connection with our way of life, its people and nations amongst the Robinson Huron Treaty (of) 1850; also displayed on the medallion. The blue border is to represent our duty and thankfulness to the water and all that she provides for us as nations; then and now.

Later sought by Peter Recollet for additional medallions, I was then provided with smoked hide (in support of traditional practices) for the backing and neck braid; as well as collective agreement to remain as natural as possible.

In the beginning stages of my artist’s journey, I wouldn’t have thought a beaded medallion design would connect me with so many familial bonds and opportunities within the community and across Turtle Island. I am forever thankful to Kaella Earle and Peter Recollet for allowing me such a task, and to Melanie Laquerre for evolving the design digitally! Chi-miigwech.

And really, that is what the story of this medallion is. They were made with the intent to honour the people beginning this journey. Each medallion stayed with me until it found where it was meant to be. Some made their way to chiefs, some made their way to the RHT 1850 team. One is with a major oil and gas company, serving as a reminder to the natural resource extraction company that they have a duty to recognize Indigenous law. Serving as a reminder to me in my goals to spread the important understanding of Indigenous law.

While the spirit of every RHT 1850 medallion has its own place in the story of the Treaty, each one of them is a testament to the fact that we are all Treaty people living together. If you hold one, you must understand that it is your sacred duty to honour it and remember your obligation to lead in Indigenous law in the spirit of kindness and respect.

The recognition and honouring of RHT 1850 by all peoples in all directions, as signified by the medicine wheel around the edges of the medallion, provide the direction we need to heal, together. Chi-miigwech. Debwewin minwaa zaagi’idiwin.